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Alabama has added four-star guard and recent Auburn de-commit Jaeden Roberts on Christmas Day. The news comes on the heels of Auburn parting ways with Gus Malzahn, opening up the door for Nick Saban and company to change the Houston (Texas) North Shore product’s mind. Roberts backed off his pledge to AU on Early Signing Day and privately signed with the Tide. He’s the second commitment from the state of Texas in the last two days after five-star running back Camar Wheaton committed to Alabama on Wednesday night.
“They tell me I’d be a really good fit in their program,” Roberts said earlier this year of the Tide. “They said they develop me really well. Said I have the potential and just the personal traits that they really want as a player and as a person.”
Credit Tide defensive backs coach Karl Scott and offensive line coach Kyle Flood for the addition, the second lineman UA has signed from North Shore in as many years (Damieon George, 2020).
Roberts visited Tuscaloosa earlier this year for Junior Day.
“It’s just a really good coaching staff up there,” Roberts said of why he’s considering Alabama after re-opening his recruitment. “They were with me early. They’ve been really good to me and my family. They’ve shown really good hospitality to us. Them coming back and still wanting to recruit me, it’s just really cool.
“I’ve got a good relationship with Coach Flood. Coach Scott, he’s also a good person that I have a good relationship with. He was kind of the first person to reach out to me from Bama. I really like the coaching staff up there. They’re all good people.”
At 6-foot-5, 340 pounds, Roberts is rated the No. 14 guard and the No. 248 overall player in the country, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Alabama strengthens its hold on the No. 1-ranked recruiting class with the addition, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings.
Here is 247Sports’ scouting report on the big Texas OL:
“Huge interior offensive line prospect with college-ready size. Flashes impressive point-of-attack strength. Thrives in the run game thanks to size and strength. Overwhelms smaller defenders at high school level. Shows encouraging block-finishing ability. Fairly quick when pulling or getting to the second level relative to size. Shows good straight-line athleticism on tape. Will need to improve overall agility and foot quickness. Physical ceiling likely limited because of size. Can improve hand placement, as well as pad level and leverage consistency. Gets too far out over his feet at times. Power 5-caliber interior offensive line prospect who can plow the row in the run game and possesses the size to give pass-rushers a large obstacle to navigate in pass pro.”
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